An article published by Socialist Alternative titled on November 22 said: 鈥淭he horrible rape and murder of Brunswick woman Jill Meagher has been successfully used by the media and authorities to promote a right wing political agenda.
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It's just about impossible to watch a commercial TV channel anywhere in Australia without being assaulted by slick mining company ads telling us how good they supposedly are for the community. Incredible amounts of money are being spent on these brainwashing campaigns.
One set of these advertisements more specifically targets communities that are resisting the onslaught of the coal seam gas (CSG) miners, particularly in precious water catchment areas and prime food producing regions. These ads are often more targeted in their messaging, but they have been caught out lying.
Anti-uranium activists staged an action at the Perth headquarters of mining company Toro to coincide with its November 28 annual general meeting in Adelaide.
Australia鈥檚 decision on November 29 to break its support for US and Israel and abstain on the vote to allow Palestine observer status at the United Nations represents a win for pro-Palestine forces.
Of the 193 nations in the UN General Assembly, 138 voted in favour, nine against and 41 abstentions for the resolution to change Palestine from an observer 鈥渆ntity鈥 to observer 鈥渟tate鈥.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) 鈥 led by Mahmoud Abbas 鈥 submitted a proposal for UN observer status last year, after it appeared the Security Council would veto a bid to become a full member state.
The rank and file 鈥淐lean Sweep鈥 ticket won all contested positions of the Victorian Health Services Union (HSU) No 3 branch in elections held on November 26.
The HSU's No 3 branch covers 36 professions; from physiotherapists, radiographers, anesthetic technicians to occupational therapists, social workers, and medical illustrators. The No 3 branch is the smallest of the three HSU branches with a membership of about 3500.
Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon spoke in parliament on November 27 to mark the the Tamil day, 鈥淢aaveerar Naal鈥, and detail the ongoing struggles of Tamil people to achieve justice and equality.
Her full speech is published.
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November 27 marks a very important and hauntingly sad day for Tamils all around the world including in Sri Lanka.
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In Tamil the day is known as 鈥淢aaveerar Naal鈥.聽 Veerar means "warrior" or "hero". Maa means "great". Naal means "day".
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Campaign group Illawarra Residents for Responsible Mining (IRRM) have been told to pay $40,000 before its case challenging the expansion of a coalmine can be heard in the Land and Environment Court.
Coalmining company Gujarat is seeking approval to expand its coal mine in the residential area of Russell Vale, a suburb of Wollongong. The expansion will mean the company will mine seven times more coal a year compared to current levels, increasing the output to 3 million tonnes a year.
Some environmentalists have justified their support for the forest peace deal 鈥 passed by Tasmania鈥檚 Legislative Assembly on November 23 鈥 on the grounds of not letting 鈥減erfect鈥 become the 鈥渆nemy of good鈥.
But a closer look at the details of the deal, which will allow the logging of native forests for another generation, makes clear it cannot even be called 鈥済ood鈥.
The Wilderness Society Newcastle released the statement below on November 28.
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Concerned residents packed Newcastle City Chambers [on November 27] and faced a heavy police presence at a meeting where coal seam gas drillers Dart Energy presented their case to Newcastle City Council.
"Tonight鈥檚 Newcastle Council meeting saw a shaky performance by coal seam gas drillers Dart Energy, under the pressure of local community members who filled the council chambers to show their concern," said Naomi Hogan of the Wilderness Society Newcastle.
The mining industry in Australia has boomed from about 4% of GDP in 2004 to about 9% today. Mining exports in the year to March last year were worth $155 billion, or 53% of Australia's total exports. Mining profits in 2009-10 amounted to $51 billion, and the estimated pre-tax profits over the next 10 years will be about $600 billion.聽
But who is the wealth benefiting and what are the costs of mining? And who makes the decisions about if, where and under what conditions mining takes place, and how the wealth is distributed?
Over 200 people attended a memorial for Rex Munn, the 鈥渟inging socialist鈥 and Labour movement legend, at the Waterside Workers' Hall in Port Adelaide on November 28.
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Rex, who died a week earlier aged 84, worked as a wharfie in Port Adelaide for 36 years before retiring in 1987. He described the work as 鈥渄irty, dusty and dangerous鈥.
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Hunger-striking refugee 35-year-old Omid Sorousheh's desperate plea to be recognised as a refugee in Australia has been treated with contempt by immigration minister Chris Bowen, despite clear indications that he was close to death.
Omid has been on a hunger strike for 50 days on November 30. That day it was reported he had been finally airlifted from Nauru and returned to Australia.
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